John Kamm Remembers: Encounters with China is a collection of stories by Dui Hua's Founder John Kamm about his encounters with China since its reopening in 1972. The stories recount his journey navigating US-China relations to promote human rights through dialogue. As Dui Hua enters its 25th year, we've launched a podcast series to explore Dui Hua’s unique form of advocacy as well as issues ...
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It’s the Year of the Metal Dragon, a new millennium, and Dui Hua’s debut as an official NGO. John Kamm and China trade pioneer-turned-Dui Hua board member Bill Simon find themselves trying to explain the Supreme Court’s Bush v. Gore decision to a confused Chinese audience. This episode of Dragon Years: Remembrance of Times Past journeys to 2000 for a discussion of how China has changed and how it has stayed the same. Kamm and Simon discuss their time in the Middle Kingdom during Dui Hua’s first year. Their discussion traverses the 1990s, dips back into 1988, and explores how the events of Tiananmen and the MFN trade policy have shaped this century so far. The duo reflects on their work with Dui Hua and what US officials got wrong about increased trade with China while finding reasons to be optimistic for the future of US-China relations. Related Dragon Years: Remembrance of Times Past - 1976 & 1988 Bai Li (John Kamm Remembers) 1999: Dui Hua Begins its Work (John Kamm Remembers) Dui Hua’s First Trip to Beijing, May 2000 (John Kamm Remembers) John Kamm Remembers Timeline: 1972-1989
The latest episode of Dui Hua’s limited podcast series, Dragon Years: Remembrance of Times Past flashes back to 1988, the Year of the Earth Dragon. China is reckoning with floods, increased foreign trade, and calls for reform. In Episode 2, John Kamm speaks with Richard Glover, a pioneer and veteran of US-China trade. The two former colleagues discuss how their paths crossed, the politics of doing business in China in the lead-up to Tiananmen, and what lessons 1988 has for today’s China watchers. Kamm and Glover’s recollections on their work selling chemicals in China in the late 1980s range from the humorous to the poignant. From the golf course to Tiananmen Square in the days before the nation hurtles toward a great tragedy, the two men witness a run on the banks and come face-to-face with the increasingly tense student movement. Dragon Years: Remembrance of Times Past (1976) All Business is Local: The Macau Subcommittee (John Kamm Remembers) Nothing Starts Without a Sale: Learning to Sell in Cultural Revolution China (John Kamm Remembers) Guangzhou in the Waning Days of the Cultural Revolution (John Kamm Remembers) John Kamm Remembers Timeline: 1972-1989
To mark the Year of the Dragon and Dui Hua's 25th anniversary, we are excited to bring you a limited podcast series, Dragon Year: Remembrance of Times Past. This five-parter explores key developments in John Kamm's life and Dui Hua's history, spanning the Dragon Years between 1976 and 2024. And through conversations, we gain insights from friends and colleagues who have been integral to Dui Hua’s mission. In this inaugural podcast, Kamm discusses the decisions that led to his first trip to China as a trade representative in 1976 and subsequent experiences on the Chinese Mainland during the waning days of the Cultural Revolution. He recalls the death of Premier Zhou Enlai, being caught in the Tangshan Earthquake, acupuncture anesthesia, and interactions with a senior liaison officer in Guangzhou. Related for this episode: Nothing Starts Without a Sale: Learning to Sell in Cultural Revolution China (John Kamm Remembers) Guangzhou in the Waning Days of the Cultural Revolution (John Kamm Remembers) John Kamm Remembers Timeline: 1972-1989 Video: Guide to the Canton Trade Fair
In the lead-up to China’s human rights review at the United Nations on January 23, host Samy Amanatullah speaks with Dui Hua executive director John Kamm about Dui Hua’s work at the United Nations, the Universal Periodic Review of human rights, and how an NGO like Dui Hua can advocate for political and religious prisoners at the United Nations. This far-reaching conversation also dissects how the Universal Periodic Review works, the international treaties that underpin human rights norms, and how the United States and China compare when it comes to adhering to human rights treaties. Related for this episode: A Very Special Status (John Kamm Remembers) Action in Geneva & New York (Digest) UN Submission Focuses on Persecution of Women in Unorthodox Religions & Dueling Statements, and Visions, at UN Human Rights Council (Human Rights Journal) Dui Hua UN Submissions
In this special podcast, host Szewah Leong speaks with Executive Director John Kamm on the recently concluded APEC Summit in San Francisco, with a focus on the meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping, the first time the two men have seen each other in a year. Topics explored include what was achieved and what wasn’t achieved, the tone of the meeting, the controversial banquet for President Xi hosted by two organizations after the meeting between the two presidents, the likelihood that commitments made will be realized, and how the meeting gave Dui Hua an opportunity to add its voice to the dialogue. Related for this podcast: APEC Summit Highlights Need for Stable Relations (Human Rights Journal) Action in Geneva & New York (Digest) Prisoner Updates